specimens from Athens, but it is as unquestionably superior throughout to the worst even of the Metopes; and the Reviewer, by calling it low relief, proves that he is unacquainted with it, the figures being very highly relieved; while those of the Frieze of the Parthenon are in low or flat relief. As for the scale of pecuniary value, Mr. Knight formed it as accurately as he could from what his experience furnished of prices paid for articles of the same class; and if the Soros and Ægyptian Beetle are worth no more than the Reviewer supposes, why did the proprietor bring them to England at so great an expense, and then expect the public to pay it? In page 541 of the Review, occurs an instance of fraud in quotation, unparalleled, it is to be hoped, in the malevolence of controversy or libel. The witness was examined as to the modes in which ancient artists described or recorded the execution of their own works, with their own names, of which he mentions three; and is then immediately asked whether the word sipyάlero is ever so employed. To this he answers: No; I believe no artist would describe it (his work) so himself; it is the historical expression. (See printed report, page 42.) But the Reviewer quotes the single syllable no as the whole of the answer; and then applies it to what the witness had clearly and distinctly answered in the affirmative; namely, the historical use of the word sipyάlero in describing the works of others, by Plutarch, Pausanias, and every other historian of art; while the artists themselves use ἐποίει oι ἐποίησε. It is charitably to be wished that the confusion of ideas imputed to the witness could, on this occasion, be reasonably imputed to the Reviewer; since, if he has acted knowingly and with design, there is no epithet of scorn and detestation which language can supply, that will not appear feeble and inadequate when applied to him. At the bottom of page 539 of the Review, is a note containing a narrative of a private transaction, which would be too trivial and unimportant to be obtruded upon the public, did not the gross and continued falsehoods of it implicate the reputation of another person, to whom it may be of serious consequence. The real transaction was as follows: About three years ago Mr. Bonelli, of Golden Square, sold to Mr. Payne Knight some engraved gems, and among them a fragment of a head of Flora, valued at one hundred, not two hundred and fifty, pounds; and paid for partly in money, and partly in duplicate medals. Though M. Bonelli gave no assurances of its being ancient, not only the purchaser, but the late Mr. Marchant, whom he consulted as usual, and other experienced judges, held it to be so; nor was it doubted till about four months ago, when Mr. Pistrucci, an artist from Rome, proclaimed it at Sir Joseph Banks's to be his own work, executed for Mr. Bonelli for twenty Roman crowns, exclusive of the stone which his employer supplied. Mr. Knight, however, so far from persisting and blustering, as the Reviewer states, expressed his satisfaction in Italian, and in the presence of Sir Joseph Banks, that there was a living artist of so much merit; and from thence went to Mr. Bonelli and urged him to tell the truth, assuring him at the same time that, admitting the work to be Pistrucci's, he had no charge to make against him; the unique beauty of the stone being a sufficient reason for the price. Bonelli persisted that he had bought it among a parcel of others, said to have belonged to the late Sir Robert Ainsley, covered with a calcarious incrustation, which he employed Pistrucci to remove, and paid him twenty Roman crowns for his work, and the expense of having it set in a ring. As the readiest means of judging between them, Mr. Knight commissioned Mr. Pistrucci to make a fac-simile, which he accordingly did, and at the end of three months brought it, of the same form indeed, but in style and execution as different as possible to his eye, and demanded for it, not as the Reviewer states, ten, but fifty, pounds sterling; and in addition, that the purchaser should formally acknowledge both to be by the same hand. This impudent proposal, repeated the next day in writing, Mr. Knight civilly, yet peremptorily, declined; but, so far from blustering or persisting obstinately, proposed that both works should be submitted together to the most able artists and experienced judges, to decide between the two contrary asserters, being himself quite indifferent in it, the article remaining the same, whoever made it; and its pecuniary value being no consideration, he never having sold, or attempted to sell, otherwise than at a public auction without reserve, any work of art, at any other price than` that which he paid. Mr. Pistrucci having declined this proposal, he has only to repeat it to the present proprietor of his work, whoever he may be; and to add, in justice to Bonelli, that he has repeatedly offered to take back all or any part of the articles purchased of him, and to repay the money with interest. In the case in question too, the surface of the stone, though it has been carefully and skilfully cleaned, still bears such demonstrative testimony to his veracity, that, unless his opponent can bring other proofs of his own ability to counterfeit the slow effects of time on such bodies, his oath will not much avail with experienced and impartial judges. R. PEK 102 MANUSCRIPTS BIBLICAL, CLASSICAL, AND BIBLICO-ORIENTAL.-No. VII. [Continued from No. XXI. p. 92.] IN We have made arrangements for collecting an account of ALL Manuscripts on the foregoing departments of Literature, which at present exist in the various PUBLIC LIBRARIES in GREAT BRITAIN. We shall continue them till finished, when an INDEX will be given of the whole. We shall then collect an account of the Manuscripts in the ROYAL and IMPERIAL LIBRARIES on the Continent. IN some former Numbers of the Classical Journal, a short account has been given of the Biblical, Classical, and Oriental MSS. in the Royal and Harleian Libraries, belonging to the British Museum. See Nos. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XX. XXI. It remains, agreeably to what was formerly announced, to give a similar account of the Cottonian and Lansdowne collection, contained in the same Library; and it will be proper to begin with the Cottonian, as being the first in the order of time. It is well known that the great excellence of the collection consists in its Saxon and English MSS., relating to our History, both civil and ecclesiastical, our Charters and our Laws, Biographies, Leagues, and Treaties with Foreign Nations, together with several, which concern other churches and other states. Of its general excellence for the purposes of English History, Dr. Thomas Gale speaks as follows, in an Address to the Reader of his Histor. Britan. Saxon,, &c.: "Denique, ut omnis causatio e medio penitus tollatur, sciat ille, quisquis bonâ fide Historiam nostram per omne ævum explicare sataget, nullum laudatum scriptorem a se desiderari exoptarique posse, quem Cottonianus iile incomparabilis Thesaurus promptissime non exhibebit." But its Codices Biblici, Classici Latini, Græci, and Orientales, are few; and of these, some only a page or two, or tracts bound up with several others. Still, though this Class of MSS. is not abundant or rich, there will be found under it two or three, that are both ancient and valuable. COTTONIAN LIBRARY. Codices Biblici, Classici, Latine. TIBERIUS. A. 11. Codex Membranaceus in 4to. Evangeliorum, Latinè, aliorumque ad ipsa pertinentium: 1. Epistola Hieronymi ad Damasum. 2. Prolog. Quatuor Evangeliorum. 3. Epistolæ Eusebii ad Carpianum. 4. Sancti Hieronymi Epistolæ aliæ ad Damasum, cum aliis. This Manuscript belonged to King Athelstan, and among the several papers it contains, one is a Charter of the King's, by which he gives to the Church at Dover the land of Folkston, near the sea, where formerly was a Monastery, dated 927. Another is a Declaration of Athelstan's, in which he gives this book to the same Church. With respect to the four Gospels, which it contains, the three first pages are in large letters, and gilt. The three first of Matthew have, in addition, a purple colour spread over them. Prefixed are the following lines, written in a fine illumination, wherein a King is seen kneeling. Saxonidum Dux atque Decus, primumque Monarcham Inclitus, Elfridum qui numeravit avum, Me voluit sacrum regibus esse librum. These lines are written in a more modern hand, probably of the time of Richard the Second. The four Gospels were in Usum Regum Angliæ in Juramentum Coronationis. Sæc. IX. NERO. D. IV. Codex Membranaceus in Fol. Constans Foliis 258. 'Liber præclarissimus elegantissimis et curiosissimis pro istius sæculi arte picturis et delineationibus ornatur. Quatuor Evangelia, versionis vulgatæ cum interlineari Versione Saxonica, præfationibus Hieronymi, Eusebii, &c. Much has been written on this curious manuscript by Selden, Mareschal, Smith, and Wanley. Sæc. VIII. IX. NERO. C. IV. Codex Membranaceus in Folio, constans Fol. 122. Continens, inter alia, Psalterium Latinum vetusto charactere exaratum, cum versione Gallica: et Cantica Veteris et Novi Testamenti, Sæc. VIII. CLAUDIUS. E. 1, Codex Membranaceus in Fol., constans foliis 185. Continens, inter multa alia, 17. 19. Explanationem Visionum Danielis ad Literam, secundum Magistrum Comestorem, et Esdra Propheta librum secundum Apocryphum. Sec. XIII. or XIV. VESPASIANUS. D. xxIII, Codex Membranaceus in 8vo. majori, constans foliis 33. VESPASIANUS. A. XIII. Continet inter multa Ordinem de Veteri Testamento, quem Romana Catholica Ecclesia honorat. VITELLIUS. E. xvii, Codex Membranaceus in 4to. igne adeo corruptus, ut pene inutilis hodie evadat; continet vero, vel potius continuit, secundum Smithium, Psalterium Latinum cum interlineari versione Saxonica, Vid. Wanley. in Catalogo. lib. Sept. p. 222. The Latin version, Wanley says, was of the 9th century; and that the interlineary Saxon version was added somewhat later. GALBA. A. XVIII. Codex Membranaceus, in 8vo. minori, constans foliis 200. Continet inter alia Psalterium de Translatione LXX. Interpretum, emendata de novo :—Psalmum Davidis cum pugnavit cum "Goliath-Cantica Veteris et Novi Testamenti. Sæc. VIII. VESPASIANUS. A. 1. Codex Membranaceus in 4to. foliis constans 160. Continens inter alia Præfationem de Utilitate Psalmorum-Psalmum Davidis; Hymnos, scilicet Cantica Isaia, Ezechia, Anna Viduæ, &c. cum interlineari versione-Continet Fragmentum ex quodam Psalterio Latino, pulcherrime Literis minusculis circa adventum Normannorum, cum interlineari Saxonica Versione, scripto. |